MACEDONIAN SAGA (Ìàêåäîíñêà ñàãà)
Movie from: 1993
Duration: 113 minutes
Director: Branko Gapo Ivanovski
Screenplay: Simon Drakul, Branko Gapo Ivanovski
Leading Roles: Meto Jovanovski, Vlado Jovanovski, Kiril Pop-Hristov, Vladimir Svetiev, Biljana Taneski, Petar Temelkovski
Content: The arrival of the young teacher, Damjan, in a village in Western Macedonia, disturbs the routine every day life
of the residents, who are of a different religion. He is different from the previous teachers in the village in many aspects. His
avant-gardism attracts the attention of the villagers. In such a mosaic he is a respected guest in many homes in the village. In one of
them lives Dzemile, the sister of the new friend of the teacher, who happens to be the first individual the teacher met upon his arrival
in the village. The beautiful girl attracts the attention of Damjan, who in the beginning, maybe even fecklessly flirts with her,
disregarding the actual patriarchal environment. Love is born, the tragic component of which is present from its very beginning. Their
different religions don’t promise a happy-ending to their love that soon stops being a secret. Under the strong pressure of Dzemile's
family and the village in general, Damjan leaves the village. Soon after that he comes back. But in the time of his absence Dzemile
commits suicide, diving into the deep water of the river at the banks of which her great love began.
Resume: The appearance of one of the last films of Macedonian feature film production, "Macedonian Saga" at the 14th "Manaki
Brothers" Film Camera Festival in Bitola, was awaited with understandable interest. Most of the reasons for this are well known. This was
the first feature film after a two-year pause in the production and it was created by the well-established creative tandem which consisted
of the author of the screenplay, Simon Drakul and the director, Branko Gapo. It was also the launching of a new production house in
Macedonian cinematography.
This screenplay deals with a tragic segment of the life in Western Macedonia where there is an ancient mixture of the Islamic and the
Christian Orthodox population. This fact alone is certainly in insufficient for a dramatic elaboration. The centuries of these people’s
joined existences should speak more of an inherent tolerance and a mutual understanding. However, their everyday life presents them with
new motives and temptations. It's one of those temptations that are addressed by the authors in this film.
Everything starts with the arrival of the new teacher, Damjan, in the village of Vele Korab where he meets the beautiful Dzemile, a girl
of another faith. The juxtaposition and opposition of these two religions is thus present from the beginning of this cinematic narrative.
We can certainly say that in the film's scenes the external symbols of these religions such as the mosque and the church with the
monastery domineer in a rather unimposing way. The inhabitants of the village, the Muslims and the Orthodox Christians, at first sight
live harmonious and even idyllic lives. This should be completely understandable and natural since both of their faiths are something that
should shelter them from the temptations presented by their life together. Indeed, is there anything more natural in such an idyllic
ambient than the emergence of love between two young people? However, at that moment the emotional structure of this cinematic narrative
becomes more intense. The rest of the participators in the action soon enter its context, which has tragic consequences for all of them.
The method employed by the author of the screenplay and the director in this film is at best classical in terms of its narrative and
dramaturgy. The camera by the debutante, Vladimir Samoilovski, plays a unique and notable role in the finalizing of this cinematic
narrative. Similar compliments can be directed to the painter Mende Ivanovski for the scenography of the film, as well as the costume
designer Dankica Petrovska, and also, for the composer Ljupcho Konstantinov.
From the cast of the film we recall the accurate performances of Kiril Pop-Hristov, Biljana Tanevska, Meto Jovanovski, Vladimir Svetiev,
Vlado Jovanovski, Petar Temelkovski, Mustafa Jashar, Shishman Angelovski and Zafir Hadzimanov.
Awards:
1993 FF "Manaki Brothers", Bitola, Bronze Camera 300 for the director of photography Vladimir Samoilovski
1993 FF "Manaki Brothers", Bitola, Camera 300 for debut / Vladimir Samoilovski
Sources: Macedonian Cinema Information Center and Cinemateque of Macedonia.
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